Contrast

Grass is having the time of its life and not just in my garden where it's in celebratory mode, almost the only thing not being devoured by slugs. Out here the gramnivores have made effective use of their time converting as much of the growth into meat and by-product as they can. While there are parts of their enclosed territory that they miss, it's inevitably in their character to munch and trample anything you would prefer them to leave.

But the grass left alone and secure beyond their influence is thriving and often iridescent in the morning drizzle. It manages to be the compensation well deserved on a wet walk. The common grasses such as false oat grass, cocksfoot and Yorkshire fog are having a - well, a field day but mostly near the paths along with creeping and spear thistle, nettle and meadow buttercup. Much of this is land that must have been disturbed somehow in the recent past and opportunistically colonised. When the track has flooded walkers have spread out onto the heather which then breaks and allows the grass to get a hold,  though some further out beyond the heather and bracken has been grassy for much longer.

Green plants reaching their full maturity proudly unhindered are welcome when much of that land grazed by cattle has such a depressing lack of character.

The small area that had the best show of dazzling Bog asphodel two years ago is now poorly represented as it was last year. And what pleasure is there in looking at cropped grass stems?